Apocalypse: Reborn with a Soul Sync Farming Space System-Chapter 80 Worldroot Barrier Tree

At first, it was subtle. Then the center of the mound pushed upward, the dirt separating as something beneath it forced its way toward the surface.

The ground split open, and a shoot of green emerged. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

It was tiny at first, no thicker than a finger, yet there was nothing fragile about it. A faint green light moved inside the stem, flowing through it in slow pulses that resembled veins. The plant continued to grow, it rose past Laurel’s knees, then her waist, its surface gradually deepening into a richer shade of green as the stem strengthened.

Everyone was too stunned to speak.

Gabriel found himself stepping back without realizing it. "What kind of plant grows like this..." he murmured, his voice low with disbelief.

Before Laurel could answer, the ground around them rumbled.

A heavy vibration spread outward beneath their feet, but unlike the violent shocks caused by the falling meteors, it was as if something vast were settling into place far below the surface.

Deep beneath the ground, thick roots forced their way through the earth before driving deeper into the soil. More followed in rapid succession, pushing through stone and packed dirt with effortless strength.

The trembling that had plagued the fortress since the meteor shower began started to ease.

Laurel released a slow breath, forcing her voice to remain steady. "Keep watering it."

Gabriel did not hesitate this time; he went to the nearest warehouse where water was stored and came back with two gallons.

The soldiers grabbed another container and poured the water directly onto the base of the growing plant. The moment the moisture touched the roots, the stem thickened before their eyes, its glow brightening as several branches unfurled outward. Leaves opened one after another, broad and luminous, their green light gradually softening the oppressive red that hung over the valley.

Even the air felt different, cooler and easier to breathe.

Above them, a distant roar tore across the sky.

Another meteor split through the sky, aiming directly at them.

Several soldiers stiffened, their instincts urging them to run, even though they knew there was nowhere to go. Laurel remained where she was, her hands clenched so tightly that her nails pressed into her palms, yet her gaze never left the plant. Beneath the surface, the root network continued to spread deeper beneath the valley.

The plant rose higher still, its trunk solidifying as its crown spread open, and from those branches a soft radiance began to extend outward.

The light expanded softly until it curved over the valley in a vast, translucent arc, forming a barrier so clear it was almost invisible unless the glow caught it at the right angle.

For a brief moment, the fortress fell into a strange silence.

’Let it work... let it work...’ Laurel muttered inwardly.

The soldiers held their breath, their hands tightening around their guns, ready to defend in the only way they could.

None of them believed a magical tree could save them from the wrath of the sky.

The meteor descended with a bright light and velocity.

Boom.

It collided with the unseen barrier high above them, and the impact sent a powerful ripple across the green surface, like waves racing through water after a stone had been dropped into its center.

The meteor slid along the curve of the barrier before crashing far beyond the valley, where the distant explosion bloomed harmlessly against the horizon.

Silence settled over the soldiers, heavy with realization.

One man slowly lowered his weapon, staring upward as though afraid the shield might vanish if he blinked. Another removed his helmet, drawing in a careful breath as if testing whether the air was truly safe.

Gabriel exhaled shakily. "It stopped it..."

Only then did Laurel feel a burst of relief running through her spine. She looked up at the towering tree, its leaves rustling softly despite the chaos raging beyond the barrier. Beneath them, the roots continued their quiet expansion, locking into the valley with a permanence that felt almost reassuring.

Behind her, the same soldier who had earlier questioned her judgment now watched the glowing tree without a trace of mockery left on his face. Doubt had given way to something far closer to respect.

"Commander... What is this... tree?" The soldier who had told Ling Xuan earlier to hide, stuttered.

Laurel blinked. She cleared her throat before clasping her hands behind her back, imitating how Ling Xuan acts.

"It’s a bio-engineered defensive plant. It can block any attack." She said effortlessly.

"Bio..." the soldier could not remember the remaining name. "Is so cool... but why do we only have it now?"

"It has been tested, and only now has it passed the last test and is safe to use," Laurel replied.

"Commander!" The soldiers saluted.

Laurel nodded her head, trying not to show her overwhelmed emotions. "Soldiers, divide yourselves into two squads, one squad is coming with me to the northern districts."

The soldiers did so immediately as they were told. Laurel and the other squads entered a well-equipped van and rode to the northern districts. The other squad was left there in case anything unexpected happened.

When they reached the northern district, which was closer to the back entrance of the valley, the heat from the burning meteor rock brushed against their skin.

"Bring out the heat protective gear, and the firefighter water pump," Laurel ordered.

The burning rock had formed a deep crater in the ground, and heat continued to rise from it in restless waves. Some of the buildings were destroyed, but the damage wasn’t too serious as the meteor rock was not too big.

The soldiers moved quickly, rolling out the firefighter pumps while others checked the nearby structures for damage.

Water arced through the air with great pressure, striking the edges of the flames, sending up sharp hissing sounds.

Gabriel stood beside Laurel. "Do you think the meteor rock will infect everyone and turn them into superhumans?" He asked jokingly. "Don’t look at me like that, I mean look at what is happening, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone becomes a Flash or Superman." He quickly said when he met Laurel’s gaze.

Before Laurel could reply to him.

"Commander! Take a look at this!" A soldier standing close to the crate yelled.